Human Rights Foundation

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a non-profit organization whose stated mission "is to ensure that freedom is both preserved and promoted" in the Americas.[1] The Human Rights Foundation was founded in 2005 by Thor Halvorssen.

HRF adheres to the definition of human rights as put forth in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976), believing that all individuals are entitled to the right to speak freely, the right to worship in the manner of their choice, the right to freely associate with those of like mind, the right to acquire and dispose of property, the right to leave and enter their country, the right to equal treatment and due process under law, the right to be able to participate in the government of their country, freedom from arbitrary detainment or exile, freedom from slavery and torture, and freedom from interference and coercion in matters of conscience.

HRF (USA) has a branch in Bolivia: HRF-Bolivia. The two organizations have no overlapping board members and are loosely affiliated.[2]

From HRF's press releases[10] it is evident that the bulk of its activities deal with condemning or issuing statements critical of the governments of Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Cuba. HRF tends to focus on the "human rights" abuses against opposition politicians, journalists, bloggers, and the like, in these countries.

↑Thor Halversson stated at a 7 Nov 2011 Henry Jackson Event in London, that HRF was responsible for providing funding for a book on this topic. He also stated that HRF promoted "humanitarian intervention" or its corrolaries like "right to protect". He was effusive about the intervention in Libya and the toppling of Ghaddafi.

↑HRF produced and provided the funding for the documentary film "The Sugar Babies: The Plight of the Children of Agricultural Workers in the Sugar Industry". It was first screened at Florida International University on June 27, 2007. The documentary about human trafficking of Haitians in the Dominican Republic drew protest from the Fanjul brothers, one of the largest beneficiaries of the human trafficking depicted in the film, with a sugar empire that dwarfs the US Sugar Corporation. More:

↑At a 7 November 2011 Henry Jackson Event at the House of Commons in London, Jared Genser mentioned that Thor Halversson via HRF had provided funding for the publication of The Responsibility to Protect: The Promise of Ending Mass Atrocities in Our Times (Oxford University Press 2011)